Democracy is not a government; it is a way of thinking, a responsibility. In a democracy there is no corruption in power because it is a transparent system: the governing doctrine states that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government, which allows for effective public oversight. Like a sculptor, democracy grows with its work and appreciates its art.

In life there is no greater pursuit than that of equal voice. Every day people are fighting for the right to be heard. Democracy is that right on a grand scale. Democracy is not only being heard, but being listened to. Democracy is when you are given an equal vote on decisions that directly affect you. And when given this tremendous responsibility, people will surprise you. They rise to the occasion and educate themselves on the issues at hand. They also work hard to ensure that the next generation is knowledgeable.

In a democracy, the youth are educated. From birth they are taught that their voice matters and their vote counts. These are rights they must fight to maintain and will prosper from. No, democracies are not free of flaws; some say that there is no way that something as simple as a popular vote could null the evils of unlawful power or social inequality. These woes are valid, but democracy can work. There are still consequences to right wrongs, and laws to help keep peace and balance. There is a difference between freedom and chaos.

Without democracy, society suffers. In dictatorships there is no celebration of thought or creativity. A country cannot thrive if others’ opinions are not appreciated. With only one opinion adhered to, the country will be at a standstill. As patience begins to wither, anger begins to rise like mercury in a thermometer. Each decision made with no consideration for those affected, every failed law, every time the system overlooks another citizen, every personal right stolen, adds a degree to that temperature. Finally it becomes so hot that the citizens, like an overheated thermometer, explode in anger; the people will revolt. This has happened many times in history. Our own country was built from this frustration and the fight for freedom.

Without democracy, we lack progress in thought, technology, and polices; society is halted. The U.S. has thrived from our ability to create and then take said creations and improve them. Is this not the age of today? We do, want, communicate everything now. Without the right to improve, we would never have developed the technological world we live in. Without the voice to express innovative ideas, without the freedom to explore, we would never have achieved what we have. Stuck in the past we would stay. What would we do without progress?

Democracy, like a car, gives you what you put into it. If you build it to be unhealthy, then it will pollute the air with poison. If you do not maintain its engine, it will fail you. The power of education fuels it forward, and most importantly, people decide its fate.